Air brush



Patente aan. 4, i927.

WILLIAM E'. GRADOLPH-AND GODFREY MUELLER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNORSTO'THE DE VTLBISS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F TOLEDO, OHIO, .A UGRPORATION0F GEIQ..

.AIR BRUSH.

.application med.l December 26, 192,3. Serial No. 682,700.

This invention relates to spraying instruments, of the type commonlyknown as airbrushes, and has particularly for its object the provisionof various improvements on the air-brush shown and described in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,260,522, dated March 26, 1918, whereby toenhance the practicability and commercial value of apparatus of thischaracter.

.Une object of the invention isthe provision of an air-brush, having itsparts so assembled and secured together as to enable them to be easilyand quickly separated for the purpose of-cleaning or repairing.

Another object of the invention is to so mount the air nozzleon theliquid nozzle that one is centered in true concentric relation on theother, thereby maintaining the 10 discharge orifices of the .two inconcentric relation.

This invention is fully described in the following specification, andwhile, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerousforms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which-- l Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of anair-brush embodying. the invention, with parts in full. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section on the line 2--2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is `ari outer endView of the liquid discharge nozzle. Fig. 4 is a reduced perspectiveview of the stock, or body member, of the device, and Fig. 5 is areduced side elevation of the spray parte removed from the stock or bodymember.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the stock or body member of anair-brush embodying the invention, such stock being provided at its rearend with a downwardly and rearwardly projecting extension 2, whichterminates at its rear end in a stud portion 3, on which the uppersocketed end of a handle member 4 is mounted. A. nut 5 threads onto therear end of the stud 3 to clamp the soclreted portion of the handleagainst a shoulder 6 at the forward end of the stud. The forward endportion of the extension 2 and the lower rear end portion of the body 1are provided with a vertically disposed slot or opening 7 in the planeof the longitudinal axis of the handle 4, and a trigger member 8 ismounted in this opening on a pivot 9 for the purpose hereinafter de-yscribed. The pivotal movements of the trigger are longitudinal tothebody 1, 'and its lower end projects downward in engaging positionbelow said body and in front ofthe handle 4.

A boss 10 is formed on the bottom edge of the forward end' portion ofthe stock or body 1 in advance or the extension 2, and is providedlongitudinally therethrough with an opening 1l in axial register with anopening 12 provided longitudinally through the stud 3. The bottoni wallof the opening 11 is slotted fora distance back from its forward end, asshown at 13 in Fig. 4, and the rear end portion of the slot is providedwith 'a tapered segmental marginal flange 14, which projects downwardfrom the boss A spray-head body part 15 is adapted to have its rear endportion removably projected through the opening 1l in the boss 10 and tobe securely mounted therein. 'The tubular stem 16 projects downward fromthe lower side of the part 15 through the slot 13 in the boss l() andhas a nut 17 threaded thereon. 'llhis nut is flanged at its upper oryinner side to adapt it, when screwed home, to engage the tapered surfaceof the marginal nangel4 of the slot wail to prevent an outward removalof the spray-head body l5 from engagement with the stock 11, and also tocause a close seating of the body 1.5 l

against the nipple 44. lhe nipple 16 is adaptedto be connected to asource of supply of paint, or other material to be sprayed, and itspassageway 18 continues forwardly through the part 15 to its forwardend.

An inner or material spraying nozzle 20, which for convenience may betermed the liquid nozzle, is seated at its inner end against theVforward end of the spray-head part 15, and has a conical or forwardlyreduced bore 21 axially therethrough, the rear enlarged end of whichbore axially registers with and, in the present instance, is of the samesize as the passage 18. The forward end of the nozzle bore; 21terminates in a small or restricted discharge oriiic'e 22 (Fig. 3).rJlhe outer side of the nozzle 20 is tapered, or conically reduced, fromnear its mit forward end thereof it is provided' with a cylindricalprojection 25 co-axial with the orifice 22. The outer surface of thenozzle 2O is provided, in the present instance, with four longitudinallyextending grooves 26 for the purpose hereinafter described. The nozzle2O is prevented from turning relative to the part 15, against which itseats, by a pin 27 projecting from said part and into one of the grooves26. The nozzle 2O is held lirmly to the ward end portion of the part 15and has its forward end'in flanged engagement with the flange 24 of thenozzle.

An air nozzle 30 is rotatably mounted on the conical portion 23 ofthenozzle 20 andv has its forwardend portion encircling the projection25 of the nozzle 42O in slightlyspaced relation thereto to provide anannular air discharge passage between saidparts. The seating of the airnozzle 30 on the conical portion 23 causes the discharge passage ororifice of the air nozzleto be in true concentric relation to theprojection 25 of the nozzle 20. The bore of the .air nozzle iscomplemental to the conical surface 23 of the nozzle 20 so as to havevalve seating engagement therewith; The air nozzle 30 is rotatablyretained on the nozzle 20 by a union 31, which h'as flanged engagementwith the rear end of fthe nozzle 30 and threads over the enlargedforward end portion 15a of the part 15. The air nozzle 30 is provided atopposite sides thereof in diametrically opposed relation with outwardlyand forwardly' rojecting arms` 32, having angled air disc arge passages33 therein which communicate at their inner ends with the interior boreof the air nozzle and have their outerends disposed to ,discharge airtherefrom acrss the path of discharge of material'from the nozzle 2Oslightly in ad- Vance `of the nozzle. The air nozzle may be turned toplace the innerends of. the air passages 33 in communication, withopposed grooves 26 in the nozzle 20, or the air nozzel may be turned todispose the passage 23 intermediate the grooves to prevent the passageof air through said passages.

The stock 1 is provided with an air chamber 35, in communication througha side nipple 36 (Fig. 2) Awith a sou'ce of air pressure supply, andthis chamber is in communication with the grooves 26 in the liquidnozzle 20 through passages 37 and 38 provided, respectively, incommunicating .relation in the stock l and enlargement 15a of the part15. The passage 38opens into the space39 between the inner portion ofthe air nozzle 30 and the vunion 28, which space is in communicationwith the liquid nozzle grooves 26. A valve 40 normally closes the outletfrom the chamber 35 to the passage 37 and has a stem 41 projectingrearwardforward end of the part 15 by a union 428, which is threadedover the fon' neiaaee ly therefrom and provided with an enlargement 42at its re'ar end which is guided for reciprocatory movements in 'a partof the stock 1 and has its rear end entering 'the stock opening 7 inposition to be engaged by a linger 43 on the trigger 8,- whereby a.-

from, as is Well understood inthe art. When the air nozzle passages. 33are in communication with the grooves 26, a portion of the air will bedischarged through said passages and laterally against the stream of airand material discharging from the center orilices of the two nozzles,thereby fiattening the stream in fan form.

A nipple 44 projects from the forward-end of the passage 37 and isadapted to remov.

ably seat in the rear end of the passage 38 when the spray-head part 15is mounted in the boss 10. l

A conical needle form of valve 45 seats in the forward restrictedendportion of the liquid nozzle 20 and,has its stem portion projecting.rearwardly axially through the horizontal portion of the passage 18,thence through a bearing in the rear end of the part 15 and through astuffing box 4 6 mountcd on said part. The stem'then extends into thestock opening 7 through a slotI Li7 in the trigger 8 and into abutmentat itsrear end with a spring pressed plunger 48 that is mounted foraxial movements in a socketed stud 49`that is 'adjustably threaded inthe opening 12 Vof the stock boss 3.v A coiled compression spring 50 isdisposed within ment withit and the plunger48, tending to normally holdthe valve 45 seated. The

-trigger 8 is provided in advance thereof near `largement 52` on thestem whereby a rearward movement of the .trigger imparts' an openingmovement to the valve.

One of the important features of our airbrush is the ease with which thestock and spray-head parts thereof may be separated and'assembled, thusfacilitating cleaning and repairing of the parts. To release the parts,

the operator merely turns the nut 17 down on the` stem 16 to.disengageythe flange 14, and is then permitted to draw the part 15 and thespraying parts attached thereto `130 fromv the stock; In doing this,the' valve the stud 49 in opposed end-'thrust engage remains inconnection with the part 15, the trigger 8 swinging forward to permitthe enlargement 52 to pass forward from engagement with the fingers 5l.It is thus apparent that the parts which are connected respectively tothe air and material supply lines are separated from each other andeither may be repaired or cleaned as desired. It is also apparent thatthe air nozzle 30 co-operates with the liquid nozzle 20 to form a valvewhereby a turning of one on the other places the auxiliary air passages33 either' into or out of operative relation to the air supply grooves2G in the liquid nozzle, thereby enabling the air nozzle to be easilyand quickly adjusted to effect either a round or a fan type of spray.

We wish it understood that our invention is not limited by any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and useful byLetters Patent, is: i

l. ln an instrument of the class described, a body unit having` an airsupply passage adapted to be placed in communication with a source ofair pressure supply, a valve` normally closing said passage, aspray-head unit detachably carried by the body unit at one side of theforward end portion thereof and passages, the former in communicationwith the air supply passage of the body unit, a valve controlling thematerial discharge passage and having a portion projecting rearwardlybeyond the rear end of the sprayhead unit, and means adapted to haveengagement with the outwardly projecting end portion of said last valveand also with the air control valve and operable to control the openingmovements of both of said valves.

:2. ln an instrument of the class described, a body unit having an airsupply passage adapted to be'placed in communication with a source ofair pressure supply and having a laterally offset rearwardly extendingportion provi-ded with a handle, a valve normallyclosing said passage, aspray-head unit detachably carriedl by the body unit at one side thereofand in advance of its said offset rearwardly projecting portion andhaving a discharge passage for material to be sprayed, and an airdischarge passage, the latter adapted to have communication with the airsupply passage of the body unit when control means carried by the bodyunit and operable to open both of said valves.

3. ln an instrument of the class described, a body unit having a valvecontrolled air supply passage therein, a spray-head unit in` slidingreleasable engagement with the body unit and having an air dischargepassage in connnunication with the supply passage when the units areassembled, means at one side of the forward end portion of the body unitfor releasably retaining the units in assembled relation, saidspray-head unit also having a liquid discharge passage, a valve normallyclosing said liquid discharge passage, and means carried by the body andoperable to open the liquid control valve.

Ll. ln an instrument of the class described, the body unit having an airpassage portion with a laterally projected extension at one sideadjacent to its forward end and with a handle portion at its rear end,said unit having a valve controlled air supply passage therein, aspray-head unit adapted to be releasably engaged with said lateralprojection and having concentric air'and liquid discharge passages wit-hthe air passage in communication with the air supply passage of the bodyunit when the two units are assembled and with the liquid passageadapted to have communication with a source of liquid supply, means forreleasably securing the spray-head unit to the body unit and its lateralprojection, a valve normally closing the liquid discharge passage andhaving a stem portion project-ing rearwardly from the spray-head unit,and means operable to open said valve.

5. In a device of the class described, a body member having a handleprojecting therefrom and having an air supply passage, said memberhaving a slotted part at one side thereof in advance of the handle, avalve in said passage, a spray-head unit having a part in releasableengagement with the slotted part of the body member and having an airdischarge passage in communication with the air supply passage and alsohaving a material discharge passage, means releasably securing saidmember and unit in assembled relation, a control valve for the materialdischarge carried by said unit, and a unitary control means for the airand material control valves carried by the bodv member. u

6. ln an instrument of the class described, a body member having an airsupply passage in its forward portion and having a laterally offsetrearward extension terminating in a rearwardly projecting boss, a han--die detachably mounted on said boss, a valve in said air passage, aspray-head means detachably carried by the body member in line with saidboss and having an air discharge passage in communication with the firstpassage and a material discharge passage, a'

'side thereof and having an air normally closed valve controlling saidlatter passage and projecting into said boss, and control means for bothlsaid valves carried by thebody member.

7 In an instrument of the class described, a body member having an airsupply passage in its forward portion and a. rearwardly projecting,laterally offset extension at its rearward portion terminating in arearwardly extending boss, a kvalve in said passage, a handle mountedonl said boss, a spray-head means carried by the body member at onedischarge passage in communication with said first passage and amaterial discharge passage,fa valve for controlling said latter passage,said valve having a stein projecting rearwardly from the spray-headmeans toward said boss, adjustable tension 'means mounted in the bossand acting on the valve stem to normally retain the ,valve closed, and acontrol member carried by the body member and operable to acton the airvalve and on said stem to open both valves.

8. In an instrument of the class described, inner and outer nozzleshaving concentric discharge orifices and one having a conical bearing onthe other to retain the orifices in concentric relation and to permitrotary adjustment of one on the other, the outer nozzle having lateral'air discharge passages, and provision in the conical bearing for thesupply ofv air from a supply source to the outer discharge orifice andalso to the lateral discharge passages spray when theouter nozzle is inpredetermined positions only of adjustment on the inner nozzle.

9. In an `instrument of the class described, inner and outer nozzles,one having a conical seat on the other for relative rotary adjustment,the inner nozzle having a central 'material discharge orifice and theouter` nozzle cooperating with the tip end portion of the inner nozzletoform an annular air dischargg orifice, the inner nozzle having aplurality of longitudinally extending surface grooves in its conicalportion communicating at their forward ends with said annular orificeand at their rear ends with a source of air pressure supply, saidouternozzle having lateral air discharge passages adapted to be placedinto or out of registering communication with predetermined grooves ofsaid inner nozzle when one nozzle is turned on the other.V

10. In^- an instrument of the class defory producing a fan lsuch,assembled relation,

with the forward end portion of the liquid nozzle to form an annular airdischarge passage and withsaid grooves to form air'passages zle alsohaving lateral air discharge passages adapted to be placed into or outof registering communication with predetermined grooves 1n said liquidnozzle when one nozzle is turned on the other, a-valve for said liquiddischarge passage, and.` valve controlled. ine-ans for supplying air tothe passages forined by said grooves.

l1. In` an instrumentA of the class described, an inner liquid nozzlehaving a discharge orifice and an outer conical surface portion, and anouter nozzle having a discharge orifice surrounding and concentric toand entirely enveloping the discharge orifice of the inner nozzle andhaving an inner conical surface rotatably-seating on the conicalsurfacey of the inner nozzle to maintain the discharge orifices of thetwo nozzles in concentric relation, means for securing the two nozzlesin such assembled relation, said nozzles having provision between theircoacting conical surfaces to supply air from a supply source to theIouter discharge orifice.

l2. In an instrument 'of the class described, an inner nozzle having adischarge orifice and an outer conical bearing surface portion, and anouter nozzle having a discharge rifice surrounding and concentric to thedischarge orifice of the inner nozzle and having an inner conicalbearing surface f rotatably seating on the co -cal surfaceof the innernozzle to maintain e discharge orifices of the two nozzles in concentricrelation, means for securing the two nozzles in said nozzles havinprovision between their` coacting conici bearing surfaces to supply airfrom a supply source to the outer discharge orifice, and said vouternozzle having lateral air discharge passages adapted to be placed intoor out of registering communication with the air passing between the twonozzles when one nozzle is turned on the other.

' In testimony whereof we havehereunto signed our naines to thisspecification.

WILLIAM F. GRADOLPI-I. GODFREY MUELLER.

v leading to said oriiiee,'said second noz-

